Christmas Wonder
by Salvatoreboys4ever
Summary: ONB Post Finale Part 8. Damon takes Elena away for a romantic Christmas holiday to Dunham Lake. The fires glowing, the lights are twinkling, the snow is falling. He wants it to be just perfect for her; a time to reconnect after the busyness of life with jobs and responsibilities. They want nothing but peace and relaxation, but life might have other plans...
1. Whatever You Want

A/N; This is my contribution to the amazing authors on here writing Christmas stories for Delena and I had never been apart of the prompts on LJ since I have only been apart of fan fiction for a little over a year. But I felt a pull to do a story myself and special thanks to Florencia7, Kate cause I got some of these ideas as I read her amazing little Christmas story.

scarlett2112 to has written some touching Christmas stories and you have to check those out too. I promise I will update COHB next but this little story fits just perfect with our human Damon and Elena right after Just Let Me Hold You. So enjoy! And please send me your thoughts. This will be a 3 or 4 chapter little story that I will post this weekend! Can't wait to hear what you think!

Hoping you and your family had a very Merry Christmas and be blessed in the New Year with love laughter and treasured memories! Thank you for all your support! XOXO

* * *

"Oh Damon. It is beautiful!" She saw his wide grin back at her as he pulled up the car and brought it to a stop. She turned to him, her eyes shining with wonder in the dim light. The bright red and green lights sparkled in her eyes, reflecting from the lights on the cabin.

She felt him lean in closer to her and rub his hands over hers, warming them through her gloves. Resting his head on hers, she giggled as her precious man nuzzled his head against her and growled all sexy like.

"You like it?" he mumbled into her hair, his voice holding a slight air of trepidation. He loved surprising her. Seeing her face light up in any way, anytime, was intoxicating to him. She had been working a lot and if he hadn't talked to her boss and requested this time off, he didn't know if he might not have seen his wife at all over Christmas. Christmas was always busy for interns and he wanted her to take it easy as much as she could. So he had surprised her with this trip and then even packed her bags to drive back to Mystic Falls together for the holidays.

Pulling into the driveway at Dunham lake he had seen on the whole drive how tired she was. Her hair fell down past her shoulders as her eyes were closed tight. Her head had been facing him as she leaned back in the seat. He had been very careful driving and only snuck peeks at her when it was safe. She looked so peaceful as the street lights streaked down her body over and over as they drove. It was so cloudy it looked almost like night at mid day. He held her one hand in his, lacing their fingers together, enjoying the warmth of her touch as he drove.

"When did you have time to do this?" She was in awe of her husband and his thoughtfulness. This was their first Christmas together as husband and wife and he continued to make every day a surprise for her, with how amazing he was.

Being human was growing on him. It was quite an adjustment, but they had weathered the ups and downs together. She had been there for him in any way he needed. Getting a job had been the biggest adjustment and he had hit that one out of the park. He agreed to move anywhere she needed for work and she had been so excited when she got a job in Chicago at Cook County Hospital for her 2nd year of internship. They both felt they needed to get away from Mystic Falls and Whitmore area for awhile and enjoy this new human adventure together.

Starting fresh had felt so good. Damon had used some of his money to buy a bar and a loft above it for them to live in and he had slowly within the year turned it into a restaurant as well and he would often cook even better than the cook he had hired. 'Salvatore Brother's Restaurant and Bar' was his baby and she loved watching him in his element.

Many nights she would slip downstairs in her lace tanks and short shorts he loved so much while he was closing up and surprise him for a quick kiss and promise of more when he made his way upstairs. She had often laughed at how fast he got things done then, even as a human. Who needed vampire speed?

His lips turned up in a proud smile. "Well maybe that is for me to know and you to dot dot dot." He did his adorable eye thing at her and she giggled again. He had driven up when she had worked a full weekend the previous week and got everything ready for them to have their romantic Christmas holiday at the cabin. "Come on baby, lets get you inside. Its supposed to snow a little more overnight and get colder."

She nodded to him and grabbed her purse and watched him walking around the car to open her door. He helped her up from her seat and she leaned against him as his arms encircled her. Her warm coat was tight around her to keep the chill of the wind from her skin. She pulled the hood up and he led them carefully across the snow packed path to the door.

The lights were shining so brightly in the darkness and Elena could see the shimmer of the icicles on the roof and the sparkle of the snow as it fell ever so gently around them, sticking to the windows and the wood of the cabin. He caught her as she felt her feet slipping just slightly out from under her.

"Whoa Elena. We don't need any injuries that involve us going back to the hospital just yet. You are on holidays and if its up to me there will be no hospitals for you for at least a few weeks here." He felt her grip on his arm tighten more as they made their way across the snow. Once Damon led her under the roof of the porch he relaxed and breathed out more slowly. He wanted everything to be perfect for her. This was their time, as little time as there was and he didn't want anything to ruin it. A tumble on the ice was _not_ one of his surprises.

He saw her tuck her long coat even more around her legs as he used the key he had gotten from Jeremy to let them in. His brother in law had been more than happy to have them enjoy their holidays here. Damon had promised him that they would stop in and see him and everyone after the weekend. Hell Damon missed Ric like crazy too. And he couldn't wait to see his best friend again. And his sister in law and Lizzie and Josie. He even thought he had heard that Bonnie was coming home for New Years so he knew it would be a reunion they all needed.

The wood on the deck was sturdy and no snow or ice had found its way up there. So he scooped her up in his arms as she squealed in surprise.

"Damon! What are you doing?! You could fall. You can't carry me! Didn't we already do this on our wedding night?!" He was crazy and asking for them to fall. She felt him waver in his balance as he grunted.

"I'm fine Elena. Just because I'm human doesn't mean I can't carry my wife over the threshold. Even if we have done it before..." He waggled his eyebrows at her. "We haven't done it here."

He kicked the door open and stepped into the cabin. Her arms were tight around his neck, almost squeezing a little too tightly. He felt himself stumble again and she screamed too close to his ear as her head was buried by his neck. Kicking the door back closed he rushed her to the couch and they fell unceremoniously onto it together. She lifted her head and he was grinning at her.

"Told you I could do it! Just because I'm human does not mean I can't carry you like that." Elena was undoing the buttons on her coat, had dropped her purse and discarded her gloves already and he helped her pull the thick material from her shoulders to fall to the floor behind them. She shifted awkwardly till she was straddling him on the couch, his hands up cradling her hips to make sure she stayed on his lap. He slid his fingers up slowly to rub the hardened bulge of her huge belly.

"See...you are just fine. Daddy did not drop Mommy or you. Everyone is just fine."

He looked up in her eyes, his own blue orbs shining with love for her. He put on his best Damon Salvatore pout, sticking his bottom lip out a bit too. "You trust me right Lena?" She was already nodding before he said more, her hands up winding around his neck and she was playing with his hair at his nape like he loved so much. "I had the super grippiest boots on, the best in the store and I have been working out to be able to carry you...just this once." He tilted his head down, rubbing his hands more over her belly and smiled as he felt a kick against his hand. "Or maybe to bed yet too..."

She laughed at how cute he was being. Human had certainly softened him. He was still snarky and cocky and had such a sharp wit, but the sense of time not being endless she had seen had changed him. He took pictures of them and time they were together with friends or family. He was often thinking ahead and planning and always surprising her with his thoughtfulness. It was like knowing there was no eternity anymore made him treasure every moment, every day and night. That he never forget to kiss her goodnight or was up in the morning to make her breakfast before she would leave for her long shifts at the hospital.

He would even stop in mid day and bring her lunch from the restaurant and drag her into the on call room to kiss her senseless and rock her world. She knew her co workers could tell when Damon had been there even if no one else had seen him. She would always try her best to be focused, but she knew by the looks they had on their faces that they knew what her husband had just done to her. She could hardly string words together after where his tongue and hands had been on her body. She would feel dizzy and her body thrumming from the taste of him in her mouth, the feel of his hands down her sides, slamming her against the wall to plunge himself into her. He even had to have his hand over her mouth to keep her from screaming and alert the other staff.

Elena buried her hands deeper in his hair as he cradled her in his arms on his lap. "Is that the master plan for this weekend Salvatore? You ravishing me in every way since this might be the last time we have before the baby comes?"

Damon pulled her in closer and her big belly pressed tight to his body. He ran his hands up and down her back on her long sleeved red shirt over a white lace camisole. She had the cutest little belly jeans on that he had told her he thought were so hot on her, big belly and all. But he loved that she was wearing red for him, knowing how much he liked it. He always wanted her to wear red and he wondered if he might in some subconscious way miss the blood of being a vampire.

"Baby, this weekend is all about you. We can do whatever you want, or nothing at all." He looked seriously at her, hoping she understood how much he wanted this to be perfect for her. "I just want you to enjoy this time. The quiet before we will likely be awake all night and changing diapers and getting spit up on and have our little angel's voice echoing from every corner of the loft. Lets just enjoy the quiet." He saw her nodding to him and felt her snuggle in closer or rather try to snuggle in closer to him. His baby was already very much between them in more ways than one.

Damon shifted around to get off his leather jacket and Elena helped him tug it off his shoulders and toss it on the chair. He looked around at all the lights he had put up in the cabin. They didn't even need any lights on or even the fire glowing yet since the bright white Christmas lights he strung on the top of the cabinets and the mantle and the windows were shining so beautifully, along with the tree tucked in the corner all bright with white lights.

His wife was glowing with happiness in his arms and he knew she needed this break. She had determined to work as close to her due date as she could and the baby was due in a little over 2 weeks in early January.

His jacket off, he toed off his boots. He ran his fingers up her sides under her clothes and she jumped. He knew his hands were still cold but he couldn't resist what he knew her expression would be, of his doing that.

"Eeek Damon! Way too cold!" Then he lifted his hands to place them on her cheeks and she shivered again. He laughed and let out a hiss as her own fingers dove under the hem of his shirt and the cold of her hands found his warm skin. He grinned at her and shivered himself before pulling her in, capturing her lips with his.

Her lips despite the cold outside were warm and he ran his tongue along the seam of them. She moaned and opened to him, her hands sliding up his sides under his black button down shirt. His hands cradled her head, tilting it and dipping his tongue in to taste her more. "God baby I missed time with you." He groaned and sucked in her bottom lip as he felt her shift from one side to the other with still straddling his lap.

"I've missed you too Damon, so much" she mumbled between kisses. "I'm so sorry I have been working so much and so late. Its never to be away from you on purpose." She saw him nod at that. She knew he was confident in their love.

She knew she was usually asleep before her head it the pillow at night and all she would remember before her eyes drifted shut was his warm body nuzzling in, his nose against the back of her neck as he brushed kisses along her skin. She felt his fingers sneak along her sides and he would every night splay them over her belly and wait till he felt a kick before he would be able to curl in and go to sleep. She was usually asleep before the baby decided to cooperate with him. That little one sure was stubborn some nights.

But her husband never gave up and waited patiently for that kick, that proof that all was right in his world, was what she thought he was seeking every time. That everything was okay and he needed his family to be safe and know they were, before he could sleep. Elena thought that was the sweetest thing and she would try so hard to stay awake each night since she realized he had done that. But most nights she was asleep within minutes and missed Damon's little bonding time with their baby.

Some nights she would wake up a few hours later to pee, which she needed to do all the time and she would feel him buried deeper in the blankets by her waist and talking to the baby. She had hardly dared to breath, feeling his lips on her belly and his hand stroking her skin as he would talk about life and how much he couldn't wait to meet him or her. One night she heard him telling stories about when Stefan and him were growing up and learning to play football. He promised their baby that he couldn't wait to teach them too.

Damon's hands dug deeper in her hair by her neck, curling his fingers between the silky strands. "Mmm, damn Elena you feel so good," he groaned against her mouth. He delved in deeper, kissing her slowly and lazily, soaking in every sensation of his wife in his arms. He felt her own fingers finding the buttons of his shirt and tugging them open one by one. Her hands on him felt like heaven. He missed just simple time with her. This holiday was to find that again and revel in everything about his wife.

Elena felt his ragged breaths against her face as her husband moaned throatily as he slid his hands down her back. He tugged gently on her jeans, sliding his palms down more and pulling her in closer to him. She tried to sit up more, the baby digging its cute little bottom into her ribs was making it harder to breath even normally and even more as she kissed him.

She knew Damon needed this. Hell they both did, so much. He had been so patient with her insane schedule lately and had food ready for her even if she showed up at near midnight. He did everything to make her comfortable and relaxed and she realized how little attention she had paid him back lately. She had just been so tired and never meant to be taking her amazing husband for granted at all.

They had tried to make love in one position or another over the last few months and it had gotten farther and fewer in between and more awkward and far from romantic and hot and sexy. She felt the furthest thing from sexy, taking forever to turn around in bed or always needing to pee and even feeling the muscles down there so weak that she had felt like she could pee during sex. She had pulled away then and he had been nothing but kind and understanding. But she said she felt so unattractive lately and didn't believe how he could possibly see her as anything but what she saw.

That sentence had started this whole 'him surprising her with thoughtful ideas for Christmas' and the whole holiday season before the baby came. He had even taken her shopping thinking it might help her feel more beautiful and she had picked out lingerie and cute tops and jeans and comfy clothes too. She was so grateful for how much into this baby thing he really was and how he could see how much she was struggling with it.

It had been a few weeks after the morning in the shower and them falling off the bed to make love the first night she had been with him since she had woken up from the sleeping beauty curse. That was when she had first thought she was late and had gotten a test to confirm. She had slipped out of bed early that morning excited and scared to take the test. And when she saw that it was positive she could hardly hold it in and decided to surprise him that very morning. She had snuck back into bed and kissed him awake, in awe of the man beside her being the father of her baby. He had woken slowly, groaning and pulling her onto him, kissing her ravenously. They spent a relaxing time in bed first before showering together.

 _She walked up to him as he was getting ready for the day and put her arms around him, nuzzling her head down in the hollow of his back between his shoulders. He had cinched a towel around his waist after their shower and looked so damn delicious with the little trails of water dripping down from his still wet hair and onto the lean muscles of his back._

 _She had discreetly placed the pregnancy test on the counter and waited to see how long it would take him to see it. She had just finished showering and now watched him as he was shaving and washing his face. As he reached for the toothpaste she heard his sharp intake of breath. She was wearing only a towel too, wrapped loosely around her as she watched him pick it up._

 _"Elena," he gasped out and his wide ocean eyes were studying the small windows on the test. He spun to face her. "Are you? Are we?" His voice was already choked with emotion and she could see the joy on his face at the thought that this could be true._ _He lifted his head to focus intently on her eyes. "Baby, does this mean what I think it does?" She could not hold back her grin and she saw him swallow hard, his whole face in a frozen state of anticipation like he was trying to prepare himself for whatever answer she gave him._

 _"I am Damon. We are. We are going to have a baby!" She had barely gotten the sentence out before she felt his arms encircle her. He picked her up and spun her around, the widest smile on his face before nuzzling into her hair. He had been over the moon happy and had fallen to his knees and moved the towel and kissed all over her bare belly before carrying her back to their bed again covering her body with kisses as the towels fell away from both of them...and everything disappeared except for them in that moment celebrating their miracle._

Damon started pulling the red long sleeved top up over her head and she shook her hair out of it as he tossed it to the floor. He dove back down to her lips as his hands ran over her belly, tugging the white camisole up and he pulled her in to his bare chest. She felt amazing.

He loved her belly. It made her look hotter than he thought he had ever seen her. Knowing that _his_ baby was in her, that everything was to bring their miracle baby into the world made her radiant in his eyes.

He didn't see it like she did, with her having swollen ankles or that she would wear two different shoes, or needed to pee every 5 minutes or ate everything under the sun at all hours of the night.

He saw her glowing, her smile, her sigh as she would collapse on the couch after a long day and lay her head back, her hands on her belly. He would sneak in the room when she looked asleep already and lift her scrub top to kiss his baby hello before kissing up her body to find her lips. Then most nights he would carry her up to a bath he already had ready for her and she would soak in there to relax all her tired muscles. There wasn't enough room in their tub at the loft for them both to enjoy it, especially now with her needing to stretch out so much and hardly move without his help. That was part of why going to the cabin was perfect and he knew the tub here was huge and he was hoping they could enjoy it together.

Just then as his mouth moved over hers tangling her tongue with his he nearly jumped back. "Ouch!" he whispered and looked down. The baby had kicked hard and he felt it against his own bare stomach pressed tight to hers. Elena jumped back just as startled and looked up at him. He smiled at her, his eyes twinkling. "I think someone is wanting attention too." He saw her smiling back at him and she laughed.

And they both laughed more as another strong kick made Elena wince and grab for her stomach. She sat up higher on his lap and dug her fingers in under her ribs. "Ouch is right. I need to breath little one." She cringed again and once she gently pushed down on the part of the baby under her ribs there was another sharp kick to the front of her belly.

Damon's hands were around her bare hips to steady her, her camisole up near the top of her belly, as she looked back down as the literal shape of a tiny foot materialized so clearly under her skin!

His mouth opened in amazement. "Wow Elena. That was a foot!"

She laughed, making a face at him. "Yes I think our baby has two of them."

He made a face right back at her and stuck out his tongue. "Very cute," he teased her.

She shifted again and moved to sit beside him on the couch to stretch out her sore legs. "Although most days it feels like I'm giving birth to an octopus! Those hands and feet are everywhere at once!"

He snuck his own hands around her sides and started unbuttoning her jeans. "My hands can be everywhere at once too."And he stroked down her hair while getting her button undone and then pulled her in back closer to him.

She laughed again and wound her arms around his neck. "Yes you most definitely can. Sometimes I wonder if you managed to keep your vampire speed somehow when Stefan gave you the cure."

Now it was his turn to laugh. "That's a nice thought sweetie. But I know if I had a choice to keep anything then I would sure have kept compulsion. That would be so handy some days, at work and with you and customers paying their damn tabs, getting loans at the bank…"

"With me?" She sat up more and swung her leg back over him. "What could you possibly have to compel me to do?" She drew in a deep breath. They were enjoying the fun banter together so she hoped this didn't turn out to be a serious conversation. They had had a couple fights about her working so much and being on her feet too much and Damon had been a very protective dad already and read all the baby books she did and knew when she was overdoing it.

He pulled her closer and nuzzled his head against her neck, a relaxed smile graced his lips, his blue eyes sparkling with playfulness. "Oh I don't know. Probably compel you to work less, or stay in bed longer in the mornings...or hey I could just compel your bosses to give you days off and think you are still there! Then I could have you all to myself."

Elena's hands went up and into his hair as he lay with his cheek on her shoulder. He purred at the feeling of her fingers tangling in the strands. "Mm mm so good baby."

"Honey you _do_ have me all to yourself now...let's just focus on that okay." She curled her fingers more in his hair and he groaned against her throat.

"Oh I _am_ focusing on that," he mumbled against her skin. "You have no idea how much I have missed you Lena, so so much." He lifted his head to gaze into her eyes. "But I need to feed you two. I'm sure all the snacks you had on the drive over are fading fast."

She nodded rapidly. He knew it. He had barely gotten anything to eat lately unless she didn't want it and that still changed daily so the next day it could still be gone. "Why don't you go soak in that nice big tub upstairs while I get dinner ready?"

"That sounds heavenly Damon. I could really use a long soak. My ankles are killing me."

He looked down seeing she still hadn't even taken off her boots from outside. He had carried her in here and just put her down and started kissing her. He pulled on the zippers and slid the mid calf boots down off her legs one at a time. He pulled her socks off too and laid her legs on his lap. He started massaging her feet and her head fell back against the arm of the couch almost instantly.

She looked so fricking sexy like that, her eyes closed, the slightest moan from her parted lips as her throat tightened. If he didn't know better that look reminded him of doing a _very_ different thing to her body and now he was getting that hot reaction to something as innocent as rubbing her sore feet.

Damon could feel that her ankles were swelling. Not much but a little. She had not retained much water at all, most of it was just in her legs and ankles and not filling in her neck or cheeks. She already cried out at how she looked when she looked in the mirror and didn't need more ways to not feel beautiful. She had many a meltdown in the bathroom mirror and he had pulled her in his arms and done anything he could think of to show her how beautiful she was; kissed her all over, taken her to their bed, ravished her for hours till she was crying out his name.

But all that happened with lights off and under the covers and even then as he kissed and worshiped her body he could feel her tense up in places that she didn't feel she was beautiful like when she didn't have his baby in her. It didn't seem to matter how much he told her how sexy she was either, she would sometimes scoff in his face that he was just saying that. She felt as big as a house and thought all he saw was how big she was.

He rubbed for a few more minutes till he felt her breathing grow more shallow. She looked angelic in the twinkling white lights. Her shirt was still pulled up exposing her whole belly to him and he marveled at the rolling movements under her skin.

His child, fighting to come into the world. Tired of the so little space there. He barely had room to move and Damon could tell the kicks were getting less frequent or as strong as the lack of space prevented the baby from moving as rapidly.

He rubbed up her legs, rolling her super stretchy maternity pants up higher and higher to massage her calves and soothe the aches she felt being on her feet so much. Within another few minutes his wife was asleep. He slipped carefully out from under her and stood up. Pulling a blanket over her he figured he would let her rest as long as she needed. They had nowhere to be and by the looks of the blowing outside the weather was just getting worse. He hadn't seen any indication on the weather websites that their was blizzard weather coming. But that was what it looked like when he couldn't even see his car from the window, the wind was blowing the snow around so much.

Damon set to work preparing supper as quietly as he could. Peeling potatoes and searing the roast before seasoning it and rubbing butter and salt and pepper all over it. He tucked it and the potatoes and a few diced up carrots in the roaster pan and waited for the oven to heat up. Then he turned back to his sleeping love, all curling up on the couch. He hated to wake her but he knew she would appreciate relaxing in the tub and then they could sleep all night in each others arms. Any day she napped too long at a time she was up half the night tossing and turning so he didn't want to ruin her night either.

He slipped to the bathroom and started running the water in the huge claw foot tub, gathering up towels and wash clothes and soap and shampoo. He moved quickly back to her still sleeping so soundly. He knelt by her head and tenderly traced his finger along her cheek. "Lena baby, time to wake up." She moaned and moved around more on the couch, the blanket slipping down lower off her shoulders.

Damon kissed a path up her jaw to her lips and she whimpered his name as he felt her hands sneak into his hair. He pulled her gently up to sitting and he gathered her in his arms as her own twined around his neck. He carried her carefully to the bathroom to lean on the counter as he added more bubble bath letting the bubbles fill the tub more and more.

Elena was grateful for the nap and now could not wait to soak her sore muscles. She loved Damon's soft touches and was determined she wasn't going to be the only one doting on the other. She wanted to show him how much everything he did for her meant to her.

She lifted her arms for him to pull the thin camisole off her and he pulled her in for another quick kiss. She leaned against him, feeling the warmth of his body from his shirt still being open and her hands slid up his naked chest. He undid her zipper and tugged her jeans down her legs till she was standing in nothing but her underwear in front of him.

Damon was still always entranced at how gorgeous his wife was and he was ready to give her more kisses when she called out to him that the water was too high. He pulled back quickly and turned it off before coming back to her. Her arms had come around her chest over her bra. Her breasts had grown at least a cup or more during her pregnancy and he knew she didn't like how big she was their either. He actually hadn't seen her naked in a few weeks. Elena kept the light off when she slipped into bed or the door closed when she bathed at home. She had become so self conscious and he wished he knew how to reassure her more.

He grabbed her hands from covering her bra and kissed each knuckle. "You are SO beautiful baby. I wish you could see you as I see you," he mumbled into the air between them.

"I'm huge Damon," she whined, her lip out in the cutest pout, he had to fight to take her seriously when all he wanted to do was crushed her pouty lips to his. "I wish I could see that too. All I see is everything is so big and my stomach having the stretch marks and I just look so ickkk."

"No you don't baby. Please trust me. Believe me. You look so hot carrying my baby. I never dreamed I would get a chance for a family after becoming a vampire. You are truly giving me a miracle and _that_ is what I see."

But despite his reassurance she turned around before unsnapping her bra to let it fall and slipped out of her lace panties and with her hand on his arm to support her, she stepped into the warm bubbly water. She was covered in bubbles right up to her neck and then leaned her head back on the edge of the tub.

Damon saw her eyes close and he was ready to leave and give her peace. She obviously was still so insecure and didn't want him to see her. That hurt him but he knew her hormones were everywhere and she could go from crying to angry in 2.5 seconds some days. But just as he turned to leave he felt her fingers tangle with his, pulling him back.

"Stay...please Damon," she said firmly, her brown eyes locked on his blue ones. She nodded pulling him back toward her and he nodded back. He missed her so much.

* * *

A/N; I will go back another time to do their wedding and engagement and all those precious moments. But this story just seemed to fit so well in here at this time of year. 3 or 4 more chapters here and I am so excited to share them with you.

A little lemony tub fun for them coming up. I hope you enjoy...

Please take a minute to review!


	2. That Look

A/N; Hope you liking it so far. Here is Chapter 2. Very much rated M.

As I wrote the beginning this story seeing how much he missed her... I couldn't resist giving them some hot and lemoney time in that big tub. I hope you like!

* * *

Okay he would stay. He had no idea what to expect at all but he wanted to do whatever she needed. He slipped his shirt off his shoulders, watching her closely to see if this was what she really wanted and she didn't protest, even when his hands went to undo his jeans and slip them down his muscled thighs. He kicked them off and took off his socks and then looked back at her to see if she changed her mind. Her eyes looked hungry, lustful and he was excited beyond words at that look.

He missed that look.

It was hidden behind exhaustion and aches and pains and he hadn't seen her look at him like that in _far_ too long.

Elena smiled at him and motioned with her finger for him to come to her. Her husband was beaming back at her and she knew what she had awoken giving him that look. She had missed him, being so close to her. Her stupid fears of peeing during sex or how big and unattractive she felt just kept her from being with him and she was determined to change that...right now.

Damon moved to the counter and lit the few candles he had put in the bathroom and zipped back to put the roast in the oven as it dinged and set the timer. They had plenty of time to enjoy each other before supper was ready. He went back in the bathroom and slipped his boxers off before stepping into the tub and settling himself in across from her. He felt her legs rub against his and sighed at the soothing feel of the warm water around him.

He was surprised beyond words when the next moment his wife pulled herself up and crawled toward him to straddle his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a scorching kiss.

Damon's hands snaked down her slippery bare skin, caressing her soft curves and molding the skin of her hips in his hands. "God Elena," he moaned feeling her core rubbing against his manhood and he felt himself aching to have her. It had been _far_ too long.

Elena rubbed herself more against him knowing what he wanted...what she had offered the second she told him to stay. She stroked him firmly in her hands, as his head fell to her neck as soft whimpers of pleasure escaped his tight lips. She didn't know how long she could sit like this and was already feeling the baby pushing hard into her ribs again. If it was quick, she was sure he would still appreciate it.

She lifted up more and felt his own hands cradling her hips, helping her lift herself to bury him deep within her. Their groans came in unison as she felt him fill her and the sparks and electricity of their connection hit her like a tidal wave of emotion.

Damon held her hips tight, helping her move on him, faster and deeper and he could not hold back more purrs of pleasure. He missed her so fucking much it hurt to even think about how long he had missed this. Feeling home, feeling complete, feeling everything about her. His hands slid down to cup her ass and pull her in closer, deeper and he groaned again at everything he was feeling.

Lifting his head, he found her eyes, the beautiful intense chocolate in them glazed over in pleasure. Her fingers were curled around his broad shoulders, gripping his skin tight in her fingers, and he hissed out as he felt her nails draw blood as he thrust himself deeper, harder into her under the water. He loved that as a human those marks, those sexy long scratches she made in the throws of their passion didn't magically heal and he could sport the wounds for a few days remembering her moans and cries in those moments.

His hand lifted from the foamy water and cupped her cheek, his thumb stroking along the side of her face as he watched her trembling as he brought her closer and closer to her high. His other hand slipped between her delicate folds beneath her belly and stroked her confidently, bringing her higher. He felt her nails digging deeper in his skin. God he missed this, missed her.

"Baby ahh," he breathed out between clenched teeth, his forehead against hers as his hand curled into her wet hair. He took in her glistening skin, the suds sliding sensually down her neck, revealing more of her perfect body to his hungry eyes. He wanted to memorize how amazing she looked, rocking herself against him, her arms wrapped around his neck and up into his hair.

Elena was feeling more confident as she took in the delicious expressions on her husbands face. She missed him too and this was the perfect way to show him how much. She wasn't as nervous, since the suds were hiding her, and the candlelight casting such a dim glow helped her feel braver when she didn't feel beautiful. She was 8 and a half months pregnant and felt more like a whale than a passionate lover. But the way he was biting his bottom lip, or hissing out as she fell deeper onto him, or how he whimpered as she buried her fingers in his shiny black hair, she knew that it was worth it to give him this, despite her fears. This way too being in the water, she didn't have to worry about the pressure on her bladder and leaking during sex.

The water slipped up and down and over the edges of the tub to fall to the tiled floor, as she sat up more, still trying to get relief from the baby pushing so hard into her ribs. Her fingers gripped both sides of the porcelain as she swung her hair from her face. She felt his hands caressing her breasts, smoothing the suds away before taking a nipple in his mouth and suckling gently. She knew she already had the littlest bit of milk coming in and watched to see if it repulsed him. Damn she was so insecure and wished she wasn't feeling that either. Her emotions were all over the place.

But Damon was reveling in her body in every way and let out a little purr from between his lips curled around her pink bud. He didn't look repulsed in the least.

She was much more than a handful now too but he looked like there was nothing wrong in the whole world. She watched him, mesmerized by the little flicks of his tongue on her pebbled skin and then moaned herself as his hands went back around her bottom, pulling her in closer to his mouth and body, before lifting his head again to gaze deeply in her eyes. She smiled at him, as she felt her thighs start to tremble more and he dove in tasting her lips again.

They both came in a crashing of whimpers and groans, their lips fused together as the water splashed up and over the sides of the tub before their bodies settled down against each other, peacefully fulfilled. Elena lay her head down on his chest just above the water and he tangled his hand in her hair. She felt his breathing slow down as they came back down to earth again.

His lips found the crown of her head and he nuzzled her. "Thank you baby," he breathed out, his breath still ragged. She curled her arms around his waist, turning herself and her huge belly to the side to snuggle into his embrace. "This weekend was supposed to be all about you and I truly had no motives to force anything on you that you aren't comfortable with. Nothing I planned was a way to get you in bed at all, but thank you SO much all the same. Everything here meant so much to me."

He watched her lift her head from his chest and give him a shy smile. "I missed you too Damon," she mumbled into his chest as she lay back down. He lay his head back on the edge of the tub and closed his eyes, just treasuring the feeling of his wife in his arms. He ran his hand back down her curves and spread his fingers over her belly. He waited for a minute and then two and three and there were no kicks back at his hand. He started to sit up at that before she placed her hand on his.

"Its okay Damon. I think we rocked him or her to sleep. Its happened before. The baby likes all that rocking..." She giggled. "You rocking my world...rocked our little one to sleep."

He sighed with relief, realizing she was right and he remembered panicking another time.

They lay there till the water started to feel colder and then he stood up, wrapping a towel around his waist and was back at her side to help her up and into the other towel.

"I'll go check on dinner and you just take it easy Lena. Have another nap or get dressed and we can snuggle by the fire. Or don't get dressed at all." He did his eye thing at her. She leaned in and kissed him gently before pulling back and disappearing down the hall to the bedroom, but not before she stuck her tongue out at him, her eyes dancing with teasing.

He knew it was her parents bedroom she had gone into and he hoped she was okay sleeping there. Everything here held such powerful memories for her. They had only been here one other time since they had become human and then she helped him so much to work through his fear and running in the middle of the night to the tunnels where Stefan had died. They had talked for hours on end and floated in the boat on the lake, his head in her lap, or snuggled by the fire, or in bed and they both shared their fears about the future and all that being human would mean.

He had thought he would need to see a shrink of some kind but it turned out all he needed was her and how she listened and supported him. That night when they were together again after all the years he had lost with her had been the last time he had run off in the middle of the night. It had never happened since and he was so glad.

Elena laid down in just her towel and was asleep almost before her head hit the pillow. She vaguely felt Damon press the wispiest of kisses on her forehead and curl the blanket up over her before he closed the door and her eyes fell closed.

He woke her a few hours later, the roast ready, a roaring fire in the fireplace and he had set up more candles in the living room before making a salad and then curling up with her on the bed in just his boxers. She turned instantly to his warmth and buried her head by his neck, his arms around her, her leg over his, her belly pressed to his side as the towel fell away.

It was then that he felt more kicks and let out a breath of relief. He knew she was right and that the baby was fine even without kicking at all after they made love. But it still always worried him when he couldn't feel any movement under his palm. Finally he was able to sleep for a bit knowing that both the people he loved most in the world were alive, well and snuggled up in his arms.

The sound of the oven timer startled him awake after another hour or so and he slipped out of bed quickly got dressed in some soft fleece pants and a tight t shirt and raced to take it out of the oven. He was back in a few minutes and stroking her cheek and kissing her all over her face to wake her. She roused slowly, squinting her eyes. Her hand went to her belly and he thought he saw a cringing expression on her face.

"Are you okay?" His tone was gentle but serious. She nodded to him and he helped her sit up. She rubbed her eyes and yawned. "Take your time sweetheart. Supper is ready whenever you are." She smiled at him and stood up to pull him into her embrace. She was still only wearing a towel and her hair still slightly damp from the bath but she curled herself in his arms and he held her tight.

"Thank you...for everything Damon. This time away, being with you again, letting me nap, cooking us supper, you making it so Christmasy in here when I didn't even want to put up the tree, just everything. You are amazing honey and I can't imagine doing any of this life without you."

He smiled against her head, and kissed her hair. "Well you never have to find out. We are forever baby. And soon we will have another little Salvatore to share this beautiful human experience with."

She nodded at that and he kissed her head again before slipping out of the room and back to the kitchen. Elena dug around in her bag he had packed and smiled at the choices for pajamas he had brought along. She slipped them on, discarding the towel and could smell the aroma of the food in the air as she walked back to the kitchen.

She felt another slight pinch in her belly and leaned on the wall in the hallway till the feeling passed. She had had braxton hicks already a couple times and knew the baby was more than ready and was head down and right in there. Which was mostly why she had felt so much pressure on her bladder all the time. She waddled down rest of the hall to the sounds of more clattering in the kitchen. Damon peeked his head up from a cupboard and stared at her.

A gasp slipped from her lips when she took in how he looked at her. She had picked out a purple lacy edged tank top that hugged her curves and revealed nearly half her burgeoning belly to him and then had on striped purple and blue shorts that tied up under her stomach. She was barefoot, showing off her long legs and had her hair up in a messy high ponytail off her neck.

Damon moved slowly toward her, his grin so wide as a growl slipped from his lips. "Damn, you are sexy as hell, momma to be." He pulled her into his arms before he groaned low, his lips right against her cheek. "You look so fucking hot Elena." He heard her giggle and that sound just lit him up inside. He had already moved the food to the table and so with her squealing in surprise he scooped her up and placed her on the counter, colliding his lips hard with hers as his hands slid up her bare thighs.

He kissed her thoroughly and deeply, pushing his tongue between her lips deepening the kiss. He tugged her hips hard against him as he stood between her legs wrapped around his waist.

They only broke apart when Damon heard his wife's stomach growl loudly and smiled down at her. "Suppertime is long overdue."

He helped her down and led her to the couch and tucked her legs under a blanket. He brought her plate to her and placed his on the table beside the couch before pouring sparkling cider in two tall wine glasses.

He lifted his glass and she did the same. "To these moments with you. And wishing I could make time stand still to enjoy you like this forever." He saw her beaming at him and clinked their glasses together.

Elena cleared her throat. "To you Damon. Being the most incredible husband and taking such good care of me." She saw his eyes looking teary at that. "Even when these hormones can make me so crazy, you are my rock in the storm of all my emotions."

He clinked his glass to hers and leaned closer, pulling her lips in for a hungry kiss.

They ate in peaceful silence hearing the crackling of the flames in the fireplace. Everything was delicious and soon Elena was curled up in Damon's arms, leaning back against his strong chest as they both stared into the fire.

The wind was whistling even more outside and he could see from the windows how wild the weather had gotten. They were so lucky to be safe and warm in the cabin with nowhere to go till Monday. The lights from the tree that Damon had decorated twinkled in the candlelight as the snow kept falling against the windows, the flakes sticking to the panes in all their unique and delicate shapes, none like another.

Elena twirled the cider in her glass to take another sip when suddenly another pinch, much sharper than the other caused her curl up in pain and the glass she had been holding shattered on the floor.

Damon who was nearly asleep in the tranquility of everything, sat up fast at the sound and turned to her, his eyes wide with worry. "Elena, what's wrong. Are you okay? Is it the baby?"

She had her hand pressed to her belly feeling it harden slowly, tighter and tighter, till she whimpered in pain before the sensations faded.

Damon turned her head to his, his finger under her chin to pull her eyes up to his. "Elena...are you...in labor? Now?"

Her eyes were as wide as his, hardly believing what she was feeling. She thought she must have just been hungry before but now...and before she opened her mouth to answer him...she felt a gush between her legs on the couch!

* * *

A/N; Uh oh...not good.

But for those of you that think they brought this on themselves I know sex can start labor but I know many ladies that said no matter how much they tried that it didn't get them in labor at all. I had 4 kids, 3 over due by almost 2 weeks and that didn't start my labor either. So they took a risk yep but it could made no difference at all too.


	3. I'm Right Here

Damon jumped up and saw the liquid running down her legs. This was really happening...NOW? In the middle of a snow storm? He could feel the panic rising in him. Oh God what could he do? They needed to get to the hospital! Oh why the hell did he think it was a good idea to take her away SO close to her being due? Or their time in the tub no matter how much he wanted that...could have started her labor. He had been so in awe of being with her again he was not thinking straight at all.

But her doctor had even assured them both at their last appointment that besides the head being down, nothing else had given any indication she would deliver early. He even told her that some babies are almost 2 weeks late.

Damon had held her in his arms as she fell back then and groaned at the thought of being this big for another full month. She had already told him that it felt like time was crawling by so slowly and she just wanted her body back. She wanted to be holding their little miracle already.

He looked down at her in disbelief and wonder…

It was time. Their baby was coming!

"Oh God Elena. There is no way we can get you to the hospital in that storm." He walked to the door and peered out the window, lifting the curtain and squinting out into the darkness. He could barely even see the lights on the edges of the roof where he put them the weekend before. "I can barely see anything from here, baby."

His next thought as he ran for a towel and she wiped her legs to dry them was to call an ambulance. He helped her to lay down, pressing kisses to her head in any effort to show her he was there for her through all of this. He saw her face again scrunch up in pain as she held her stomach, her hands splayed over her belly as she cried out, her head tucked into her chest.

Damon ran again as he dialed his cell to grab more towels from the bathroom, nearly slipping on the water that had still been all around the tub from their fun in there. He grabbed sheets from the closet too and some fresh panties and shorts for her from the bedroom. He washed his hands, scrubbing them with soap and drying them before coming back to her, with more hand sanitizer in his hands that he just dumped down on the floor by the couch.

Elena was already calling to him by the time he was back, crying to know where he was. She sat up enough for him to put the sheets and blankets under her on the couch that had just gotten soaked by her water breaking and grabbed a comforter too from the hall closet. He helped her out of the wet shorts and panties too and helped her into dry ones. She laid down again on the soft bed he made as he kept the phone to his ear.

"Damn it. 911 should not be putting anyone on hold! What the hell is wrong with people?" he hissed out as he sat back down beside her, pulling her into his embrace. She lay with her head against his chest and he saw tears in her eyes as she squeezed them shut.

"Elena, is there anything I can do? Anything baby?" His words were spilling from his lips, his eyes so wide and full of fear. He hated seeing her in any pain. They had a birth plan, a doctor on call in Chicago and he had even arranged for the doctor in Mystic Falls to be on stand by for her while they were out here. What he hadn't counted on was a damn storm that looked to literally come out of nowhere and rip through the region. Even the weathermen online he saw had not seen this coming and that was rare. It had materialized within a few hours and the cold and warm front had crashed in the worst way, creating a vortex of cold and blowing snow over top of the whole area.

"Just hold me Damon," she mumbled into his chest. "I just need to be in your arms right now. I'm so scared."

He felt such a stab of pain hearing her fear and kissed her head again, rubbing his lips along her skin. "It's going to be okay Elena. I'll hold you as long as I can, while still trying to get us help."

He was ready to scream into the phone as the automated voice said over and over that his call was important and that the next operator would be right with him. When a voice finally came on he was gripping his phone so tight that if he had still been a vampire it would have been crushed in his hand.

Elena listened to him yelling at the woman on the other end and curse as she could hear the woman say that the storm was too bad and they could not send anyone out while it was still dark. Damon said again that his wife was in labor and the woman sounded like she understood but was speaking in such a monotone like she had said the same thing to dozens of callers already. The woman said she might have something she could do but needed to put him on hold again to check.

Another contraction ripped through her and she barely heard how much Damon was swearing under his breath as he still clutched the phone to his ear to wait again for the woman to come back on. He gave her his other hand and she held it tight in her own as she felt the contraction fading, her cheek buried by his neck, her other hand clutching at his thin shirt. They were coming fast and there didn't look to be anyone coming to help them.

"Lena, where is your phone?" Her husband tilted his head down to meet her weak gaze, his black hair, falling in his eyes before he moved the strands away.

She motioned to her purse on the floor from when they had stumbled in the cabin hours ago. Damon gently pulled out of her grip on him and raced over and dug in her purse. He found the phone and was scrolling fast through the numbers and hit call. The woman at 911 was still on hold with him on his phone as he waited, his heart pounding that she had to answer. He couldn't do this alone. They needed help.

The phone clicked on and he barely gave her a chance to say hi in her usual cheerful way. "Caroline! Its Damon. Yes, on Elena's phone. Listen we need you. Like bad. Right fucking now bad. Elena and I are at the cabin at Dunham lake and Elena just went into labor and I cant reach the damn ambulance and the storm is getting worse by the minute and I know you aren't a nurse or doctor or anything...but I know you can get through weather and not die like the rest of us puny humans...please Care." He was out of breath saying all that without taking in more oxygen and heard Caroline gasping in shock and surprise.

"Okay, okay. Wow! The baby's coming! I mean I'm so excited for you two and wow but yeah I can't imagine how scared you both must be. I'm on my way Damon. I'll just tell Ric to watch the girls and I'm out the door right away. Tell Elena to hang in there." She was rambling like usual but he fell back down on the couch beside his love at knowing at least someone was coming.

He looked down at her and moved her hair that was like a curtain over her face as she was grunting and groaning, her hands fisting the blankets under her till the pain looked like it started fading again and she fell back into the sheets and blankets on the couch. He knelt down on the floor on his knees in front of her and cupped her face in his hands, smoothing the hair behind her ear. He had dropped the phone to the floor and put it on speaker to give her the attention she needed as he waited, hoping someone could come out and find them.

"Its going to be okay Elena. Care is coming. She will be able to help. You are going to be just fine. I promise," he said almost breathlessly. He leaned his head to hers and felt the sweat from her forehead against his own. They stayed like that, just soaking in each others scent and presence. It grounded him to just breathe her in when he was so scared that something could happen to their baby. They had no medical help, so what if there was a complication? But he didn't dare voice his fears. She had enough to deal with right now.

Elena's hands were wrapped around his wrists where his hands were still cradling her face. He saw her look up in his eyes, and he ached to fix everything she was feeling; all the pain and the fear and the uncertainty of how this was playing out so far from the way they planned.

He bent to nuzzle her nose. "We are going to meet our baby tonight Elena," he said in wonder, hardly believing it himself. She gave him a weak smile before he bent to kiss her tenderly on the lips. He could taste the tears that had been running down her cheeks. He could feel the tremble of her body and he cradled her closer trying to help her however he could.

A second later she was crying out as another contraction built higher and higher. Damon offered his hand and she nearly crushed it in her iron grip as she fought to breath and fight through the contraction. He bit back his own cry as her grip on his hand was like a vice tightening more and more and he felt like he would faint. But he didn't give a crap about him and if squeezing the life out of his hand gave him even a tiny taste of the pain she was experiencing, he was all for it.

Suddenly the phone burst back to life and he bent down, gently pulled his hand, now pulsating with pain from hers to grab it as she fell back again in total exhaustion. "Yes, yes. I've being waiting for fucking ever!" he snapped at the woman. "Can you send a damn helicopter? Anything? C'mon!"

How could things have gone so badly. The doctor had assured them there was time yet. Hell he had even told them he was on Christmas holidays with his own family this weekend, out of state and would be back in plenty of time. Damn doctors didn't know anything he thought. He knew that wasn't true but he was too upset to think straight right now.

Her eyes were closed and he just ran his hand down her cheek and felt how warm she was. He stood up and moved to the kitchen and ran a washcloth under cool water and was back by her side right away. He wiped it up and down around her face and neck and then on her belly and legs, anywhere he could to cool her off.

"Yes, yes I'm still here!" he whispered angrily through the phone, trying not to disturb her as she was laying and panting hard. The woman said she couldn't send someone out but she had the next best thing and put a delivery doctor on the phone with him.

The young woman was on the phone an instant later and spoke calmly and clearly and tried her best he was sure, to calm _him_ down. "I need what? Yes, I got blankets and sheets and trying to keep her cool." His eyes bulged. "You want me to what?" He looked back up at his wife, his ice blue eyes wide again as he saw her eyes open just to slits listening to their conversation. He listened again making sure everything the doctor said was actually what he was supposed to do.

"Elena baby, we need to get you out of your shorts." She nodded weakly, hardly able to move to help him. He untied them and tugged them gently down her thighs and she lifted herself up enough for him to pull them down her legs. She was wearing only lacy blue underwear and her tank top now and he listened again to the woman's instructions on the phone.

But before he could ask her again to repeat it once more, Elena gripped hard to his shoulders and whimpered his name, her nails digging in, her head curled into his as he saw her grit her teeth in pain against his neck.

He dropped the phone and just wrapped his arms around her and did the breathing they had practiced. He breathed louder and smooth and slow and waited for her to copy him. Finally she matched his slow breaths as the contraction started coming back down. "That's it Elena. Just breath. Focus only on that. I'm right here baby. I'm right here." He stroked his hands down her sweat soaked chocolate tresses that had long fallen out of the ponytail and felt her breathing slow as he held her in his arms.

Elena didn't know how many more of these contractions she could take. She was so tired and it hurt so much. She was nearly gasping for breath, hardly able to draw more in her lungs till he had spoken to her so calmly and finally got her to settle her frantic breathing. She saw him pull out of her arms just a bit to reach for the phone. The doctor was calling to him over and over, asking if they were alright.

"I'm here! Yes we are alright. I can't hold the damn phone and help my wife through a contraction at the same time now, can I? We are kinda busy here." She heard the woman on the other end of the phone sound like she agreed and went on to explain more. Elena watched as Damon's eyes went as big as saucers as he looked at her.

"Okay, yeah I get it," he mumbled and dropped the phone again. He looked sheepishly at his wife. "She wants me to check you sweetie. To see if its time to push."

At that it sounded to Elena like they might almost be home free. Time to push? She was wide awake and felt a renewed sense of energy. Damon helped her slip her lacy boy shorts down her legs, and passed her a blanket to cover with. He held the blanket up by her knees and swallowed hard. He could do this. He needed to be everything she needed.

Elena leaned up and squeezed his hand as it lay trembling at her side. She spread her legs more and lifted up as much as she could. "Its okay Damon. Its not like you haven't seen it before." She tried to smile, seeing how uncomfortable he was with what he needed to do.

He nodded, rolling his eyes at the truth in her statement and shook his head. She was right and he needed to do this for her, for their baby. Her eyes closed as he pushed two fingers in and went deeper and she could feel the pressure of his hand in there, but didn't cry out.

After a few dead silent moments between them then Damon was crying out. "I can feel the head Elena. The baby is right there! Oh my God!" He pulled out and cleaned his hands to grab the phone again.

"Yes she is all the way dilated and I measured like you said. I could feel the head!" The woman congratulated him and then started explaining pushing and bearing down and how to suck out the mucus from the babies nose and mouth when its born. She was in the middle of a sentence when the phone just went dead and Damon shook it and then redialed again thinking they had been cut off. But when he tried again there was nothing. The storm must have knocked out the phone lines too. Damn it!

Elena curled back up again, this time he could see more tears streaming down her cheeks as her face contorted with so much pain. He lifted her up more with his one hand and rubbed her back. He pushed on the muscles by the spine and her hips and all over just molding the skin in his hand.

"Ahh, feels good Damon," she groaned and her head fell back on the cushions as her body turned more for him to rub all over her lower back. He kissed all along her neck and down her spine, lifting her thin tank top up more. He dug his knuckles into the muscles at her lower back and rubbed and tried his best to sooth her, as she cried out as the pain kept intensifying.

"The contractions are so close to together," she gritted through her teeth as it started fading. "There is barely time for a break in between. I can't do this Damon. It hurts so much." She was fully crying now, laying on her side, gripping the blankets tight in her fingers, her white gold wedding ring glinting in the firelight.

"Yes you can baby. You can. We can do it together. You are not alone in this, ever." It was tearing him apart that she was in so much pain and he had nothing other than him that could ease it.

Just then there was knocking at the door. Damon nearly jumped up and ran across the living room. He swung it open and it almost fell off its hinges from the wind whipping it against the frame. "Caroline!" Damon pulled his sister in law into a bear hug. "I have _never_ been so glad to see you!"

She threw off her coat and purse and Damon dragged her forward without another word to the living room where Elena was still curled up on the couch. The fire was still blazing and keeping the room a nice warm temperature.

Elena had thrown the blankets off and then back on again and pulled them around her legs. She saw her husband lead her best friend into the room. Caroline was supposed to somehow deliver her baby?! She tried to smile despite how weak she was, as the blonde vampire came to sit beside her.

Damon had run off again and was back in a few minutes with more towels from upstairs and he uttered a prayer of thanks that the Gilberts had exactly what he needed in their bathroom. He found a nasal aspirator the doctor said he needed and scissors that he tossed in a pot on the stove and heated up the water.

Caroline's eyes were wide taking in the scene and everything that was happening before she knelt down beside the couch and took her best friend's hands in hers. "Oh my God Elena! This is it. I know I'm not a doctor but hey I watched Greys enough seasons to see them birth babies and I had my own. I can do this for you." She cleared her throat and caught the hand sanitizer Damon threw at her and she poured a bunch on her hands and rubbed it in. "No. I WILL do this for you. You can count on me. Damon and I will make sure your baby is just fine."

* * *

A/N: Are you excited to meet baby Salvatore? Id love to know your thoughts. Please review. One chapter left in my HEA Christmas fluff just for you amazing authors that have been such a support to me and the incredible readers in this fandom.


	4. My Family

A/N: Last chapter in this cute little story. Please forgive any birthing mistakes. My baby just turned 9 this Christmas so I'm a little hazy on all the details since its almost been a decade since I was in labor.

Enjoy and please let me know what you think!

* * *

Elena opened her mouth trying to offer her friend another weak smile in thanks. She had no strength for anything else when she felt another contraction hit hard. Damon raced to her side and let her lean back on him, and she tangled her fingers with his. "I want to push Damon. I feel like I need to push," Elena gasped out through the pain, the sweat sliding down her face till he found the cloth again and wiped it away.

He nodded at her and gripped her hands in his, her head back against his chest as he lifted her up to almost sitting so she could bear down. "Its time baby. You are ready to push."

Caroline despite being so far out of her element here lifted the blanket draped on Elena's legs and helped hold Elena's leg back to widen the space between her legs. Damon wrapped one arm around her sweat soaked leg as Caroline helped hold back her other leg.

"Okay Elena. You got this! Now next contraction, you need to push!" Caroline took to this like she did everything, with masterful grace and confidence. It didn't mean it always worked out the way it was planned but she poured herself into it with all she was. She took to the helm of anything and blew it out of the park, pageants, committees, college, even vampirism, motherhood and now being a midwife it seemed was in her wheelhouse too.

Damon groaned again at how hard she was squeezing his hands as he lifted her up to help her push during the next contraction. She fell back in his arms as the pain faded again and they all just stayed there looking at each other for a few silent minutes. Caroline was kneeling on the floor, and had rolled up her sleeves and had blankets ready.

Elena sat up fast and screamed, her lips right by his neck as she pushed like hell for the next contraction. She was right they were coming faster. She held his hand tight, pushing hard till she fell back in his arms again.

"I can't Damon. I can't!" she sobbed into his shoulder. "I can't do it. It hurts SO bad. I can't."

Damon looked back and Caroline who was slathering her arms and hands up with more hand soap and laying a towel in her lap nodded to him. She was ready. He turned to his beautiful wife. She looked breathtaking in the dim light of the fire, her hair all over her shoulders, her skin glowing in the light. Her eyes so deep and unending in their fire and determination despite her utter exhaustion.

She could do this.

He took everything in and turned his body enough to be by her side. "Yes you can baby. You can. In a few minutes we will be able to see our baby Elena. You are so strong and I believe in everything about you." He kissed the tears as they fell and marveled at how close they were to being a little family. He kissed her forehead and nodded to her. "Just a few more pushes angel and then that baby will be in your arms."

Elena was nodding at him through the tears streaming down her face as she sat up more and felt the contraction building again. She sniffled through her tears and held tight to Damon's hands. His head was tucked in right by her neck and he lifted her up as she panted and gritted her teeth. Caroline called to her, encouraging her, counting so she would push as hard as she could. As the contraction ended she fell back against Damon again and he pressed light kisses all down her neck and shoulder and back up to her jaw, while rubbed his palm against her naked back, all over her strained muscles.

Caroline squealed out loud in the next second startling them. "Oh my God Elena I can see the head! You are so close! You can do it!"

Elena could not believe it. Their baby was that close?

She at first didn't know what Damon was doing, but he led her one hand down between her legs and she gasped out loud as she felt the tiny strands of hair at her finger tips. Their baby had hair and a thick head of it it seemed like!

She sat up more and turned to kiss Damon hard on the lips. She was in awe of his strength too and he had been the most incredible support through this. Her lips broke away from his as another contraction ripped through her body and she pushed with renewed vigor. She wanted to meet this little baby so badly. They were so close and just feeling the babys hair had given her such a desire to fight through the pain. She cried and screamed and buried her head in Damon's neck as she pushed with all that she was.

"The head is out!" Caroline yelled and Damon slipped up from behind her to run to the stove and dry off and hand Caroline the nasal aspirator. He froze as he took in the incredible sight of his babies head, little eyes tightly shut, little nose and mouth. He stared for a moment in awe before coming back behind his wife to help her sit up again. Caroline cleared the babies nose and mouth and he heard her gasping, her smile so wide on her face.

Elena gripped the edge of the couch and her one hand found Damon's wrist instead of his hand. She was panting hard, sucking in her breath to resist pushing till the next contraction and she felt the intense burning like fire down there. She was holding back so hard and when Caroline nodded that everything was ready and she felt her belly tightening she gave one more intense push and the baby slipped out and into Caroline's waiting hands!

Elena fell back again against her husband, sweat running down her face, her breaths coming in panting gasps. Then the sound of a shrill tiny cry echoed around the room and Elena took one look at Damon and the incredible wonder she saw all over his face.

They both looked down at their friend on the floor, their mouths open speechless, knowing she was holding their child in her hands!

"It's a boy!" Caroline said, her voice higher than Elena had ever heard it. Caroline eyes were shining with amazement and Damon could see tears in her eyes. She wrapped the baby in a towel first and then a blanket, wiping his face from all the blood and mucus and laid him on Elena's chest.

Damon could not believe what he was seeing. This tiny person, hands flailing, and such deep blue eyes looking at both of them...was his, was theirs. Damon knelt down beside Elena and watched his son study him with his wide open eyes. It looked like his own eyes were staring back at him. The baby's head was covered in blonde hair and then its little legs kicked the blanket off them as he nuzzled into his mommy.

Damon looked to his wife, wishing he would never forget the look on her face as she took in the miracle that was their son. He leaned down and kissed his son on his forehead and the little boy scrunched up his face likely at the tickle of his daddy's facial hair.

Damon was in love already. This precious little human was a true miracle, thanks to his brother's sacrifice.

"Stefan," he heard Elena breath and he found her eyes wet with tears. "Stefan Aaron Salvatore." She looked to him in silent curiosity and Damon nodded instantly, swallowing thickly, feeling tears at his dark lashes. It was perfect. His baby brother, in new form.

They both heard a choking gasp as Caroline moved closer leaning over the back of the couch and stroking the babies soft cheek. She had been taking a few pictures of the new parents and their first moments with their baby. And now at the sound of them naming him Stefan she was overcome with emotion and wiping the tears running down her cheeks.

Elena looked up at her and Caroline nodded back to her, more tears falling and the ache in her heart that her husband left, started to hurt again. She smiled through her tears at the tiny little baby she had helped Elena and Damon bring into this world. The baby with her husband's name. It was truly perfect. It was the most amazing Christmas gift to be a part of this incredible night with them and to see such a miracle come into this world.

Elena was in awe of the tiny fingers and toes and she was examining every inch of the perfect little person they had created. Damon moved in, nuzzling her with his head and she turned to capture his lips in a tender kiss. They were a family! I really live human family. She watched Damon run his finger along baby Stefan's hand and their son grabbed onto Daddy's finger with a firm grip.

Damon laughed, the tears now slipping down his cheeks freely. He had never been happier in the hundreds of years he had been on this earth. Being human was everything; joy and peace and love and everything beautiful that he could hold onto. Immortality was nothing compared to the bond he already felt with his tiny son. Stefan pulled his finger in more and his little mouth started to suck and root around against his daddy's skin.

Now it was Elena's turn to laugh. "Someone is hungry I'll bet. Aren't you angel?" And she shifted more to sit up and Damon helped her put more pillows behind her on the couch. She pulled her tank top up more and moved their son toward her nipple. He latched on almost instantly and suckled hard. He was a fast learner. His little hands curled around his mommy's hair gripping it in his tiny fingers as his wide ice blue eyes still did not stop looking around at everyone.

Just then there was a banging at the door and Damon's head went up wondering who would be here in the middle of the storm?! He leapt up and raced to the door opening it to see none other than Niklaus Mikaelson on the front porch! He was shaking the snow from his jacket as he looked up at him. Damon's eye caught the light ahead and realized that Klaus had come in a helicopter! The noise of the wind and storm had masked the sound of them arriving completely.

"I heard someone was in need of assistance here, with the lovely Elena in labor I was told. Its amazing what a little money first and then compulsion will do to get you a face to face with air ambulances at Mystic Falls General and break a few rules."

Damon nodded without saying a word still in shock that everything was going to be okay and before he knew it Caroline was at the door beside him.

"Klaus, you made it!" She was smiling at him and Damon did not know what to think. But this vampire had brought help in the middle of the night and had flown through a blizzard to come save them. In his book that was as good as it got.

Damon motioned him to come inside and two paramedics were right behind him, wheeling a stretcher into the cabin. Caroline pulled the Original into a hug and then turned to Damon's shocked expression.

"We have been seeing each other. Not much but a few dates. Klaus brought his daughter Hope to our school to help her with her powers last fall already and so we are taking it slow. Our girls are already best friends all learning to control their powers and we just thought we would give dating a chance."

Damon nodded at all the new information but his mind was on his love a few feet away. He was already heading back to his wife and their son as the couple embraced again. Elena was still curled up on the couch sitting up as the paramedics helped deliver the placenta. Caroline was in front of him and suddenly holding out the scissors.

"Well Daddy..." she smiled at her brother in law. "Care to do the honors?"

Damon nodded and took the scissors from her hand and knelt down by Elena to cut the cord so they could clamp it. Stefan was still nursing strongly before pulling back a few minutes later. His little eyes looked so heavy all of a sudden.

"We need to get your wife on the stretcher so we can take you all to the hospital to get checked out," the paramedic said in a brisk but firm voice as Damon watched the man examining his son as he was laying on Elena's chest.

Damon nodded in understanding but before he knew what was happening the man lifted the baby up and then placed him gently in Damon's arms. The dark haired human looked down at his little boy, nestled in his arms, his eyes almost closed again.

Yes there was no doubt about it, he was in love.

He curled the baby closer into his chest against his tight t shirt. "Hi angel. I'm your daddy," he said feeling more emotion and tears ready to fall. "We have been waiting to meet you and your mommy and I love you so much! You sure picked a crazy way to enter this world. You practically gave your daddy a heart attack, I was so scared."

He watched his son looking wide eyed at him as he spoke so softly and Damon swore he saw the hint of a smile on the tiny babies lips. He was in awe and watched as Stefan blinked more slowly till his eyes were closed in contented sleep.

Caroline had run around and grabbed their bags and her purse and Klaus helped her with her jacket. She had gone in the bathroom and washed her hands. "Who left water all over the bathroom floor?" she called out. "I nearly slipped and broke something?" Elena and Damon exchanged knowing glances and smiles at that.

"Well sis, its not like you wouldn't heal right away. Lucky you." Damon said snarkily back to her knowing full well why there was water all over the bathroom. He had completely forgotten to clean it up. Caroline made a face at him and turned back to Klaus who was grinning too and from what Damon could see the Original looked like he knew what had been going on while Blondie was still clueless.

Elena was ignoring all the banter and pulled the blankets on the stretcher up tight to her neck while sitting up more, her eyes in awe of her husband holding their son. He had never looked sexier than at that moment; his blue eyes shining with love, strands of his jet black hair falling down on his forehead, his strong arms holding their tiny baby curled up on his chest.

"We need to go before this storm gets any worse," the man pushing Elena toward the door said to the others. Damon nodded walking toward her. She was beaming at him so proud to finally be holding their child. He bent to give her a kiss and then looked around for a way to carry and keep his son warm. He saw his leather jacket tossed on the chair nearby and after wrapping the baby more snugly in the towel and then the blanket, he laid Stefan down on his jacket, and curled it around him, tucking him in deep to keep any of the cold air from getting in. He cradled him in his arms and headed for the door.

Klaus stepped forward and smiled at him, leaning over to peer into the jacket at the sleeping infant. "He is precious Damon. And I heard you named him Stefan?" the vampire asked.

Damon nodded back to him. "Yep, just like baby bro. We needed a way to keep Stefan alive with us after everything." Klaus nodded at that too. Damon tilted his head to him "And thank you for helping us tonight Klaus really. You have no idea how much it means to me. Whatever we have all been through before...this can be a fresh start." And he meant it. He saw Klaus nodding his agreement too.

His family was safe and he was a dad. He cradled his son closer as Caroline came up and he could just see in her eyes that she wanted to hold him. He carefully passed the bundle to her and she gasped in awe. Klaus leaned over her shoulder and was grinning at the tiny baby.

Damon moved back over to where Elena was laying just at the doorway ready to get escorted out. She looked exhausted and her eyes were half closed as he ran his hand down her cheek. "You did it baby," he whispered. His head against hers, his eyes darting back to Caroline holding his son nearby. "You did amazing and you gave me the most incredible Christmas gift ever." She smiled back at him and threaded her fingers in his hair. "I planned this weekend for you to relax and for us to just enjoy the quiet before the baby was born. But now I can't wait to take him home and have you both snuggled up with me. My family."

Elena nodded and closed her eyes when he brushed a kiss to her forehead. "My family..." she repeated with a smile on her lips. She felt herself ready to sleep and grabbed his hand. "I'm sorry we have to go back to the hospital so soon..."

He chuckled and kissed her again remembering his promise to her that he was determined to keep her away from hospitals till her holidays were over. Oops, well this the best reason of all to need a hospital and he squeezed her hand as the man opened the door and carried her out to the chopper. The last man dumped a huge coat on Damon's shoulders and he smiled at him in thanks and got his boots on too. He must have seen that he had wrapped his son in his own jacket.

He shrugged it on and zipped it up as he walked back to the couple oohing and awing over his baby.

His baby.

He could hardly believe it. "Okay, daddy's turn," he interrupted and Caroline awed him too as she passed Stefan back to him. Damon peeked in the folds of the leather to see the little guy still fast asleep, his tiny hand curled up by his face, his long dark lashes blinking rapidly in sleep. He bent and kissed the little head and took in the incredible scent of baby in his life.

Damon turned to head for the door and curled his one arm over the jacket to keep the wind out. He walked quickly to the helicopter idling on the edge of the driveway and Caroline helped him across the snow and into the helicopter and held his arm to make sure he didn't slip at all with his precious cargo in his arms. He slid into a seat right beside his love and one of the men buckled him in. Caroline slid in beside him and Klaus to her other side.

Elena sat up more and her arms opened wanting to hold their baby. Damon could not stop beaming from ear to ear and he nuzzled his head to his son's soft hair and then passed him to his mommy. He leaned in, curling his head right against her neck as he watched her holding their baby. Everything had turned out more than perfect.

Caroline piped up from beside him. "Hey Elena. I thought you had like two more weeks before his due date. How did you end up having him early?"

At first Elena just shrugged not knowing at all why that could have happened. But then she remembered…it doesn't work for everyone but maybe...

"I mean did you guys do something to...I don't know jump start your labor and in a snow storm no less?"

Elena looked back to Damon who was smiling almost cocky back at her as he ran his finger down his son's cheek. "We didn't do anything like that...did we Elena?" she grinned back at him.

"No, we came here for a peaceful quiet weekend..." She could hardly hold back her laugh. "I have no idea what could have started my labor." Damon laughed then and they both knew what they had done. But whats done is done and they were a family now.

Damon nuzzled his nose in his neck, giving her soft kisses all down her throat. Just as he leaned in to her lips a loud cry came from the folds of his jacket. Stefan was awake. Elena lifted him up and saw he was already moving around trying to find food. She slipped some of the blankets lower to pull up her shirt and their baby suckled happily.

Damon looked back at her as she mouthed she was sorry about their son interrupting their kiss. He was fine. He knew things would change a lot with a baby in the house. He smiled back at her and laid his head on her chest on the side his son wasn't chowing down on.

Elena looked down at the two most important men in her life and she could not stop smiling. Damon looked up at her with so much love in his blue eyes, eyes that looked very much like their baby's, before nuzzling back down and she slipped her hand up to cup his face, before pulling his lips back to hers.

Everything was perfect...it really was.

* * *

A/N; I hope you totally loved it. I'll admit I actually cried as I was writing it near the end and had tears streaming as I finished it. My husband just walked in from work to see tears down my cheeks as I sat on the bed with the laptop. He thought I was crying about someone else's story I was reading and not my own! LOL

I am so happy to share this with you...Love and hugs for this beautiful Christmas season

Bonnie

P.S. Please review and tell me what you thought of Daddy Damon and how everything went. I hope it lived up to what people would have imagined their life to be like in these precious moments.

I apologize to those that might not like Klaus showing up but I needed someone with money and influence to get them out of there in the middle of the blizzard. He fit the bill more than anyone else. Please focus on the Delena aspects of the chapter not Klaus. He was just a means to an end here. I could possibly do one more chapter later too of them at the hospital their first night. Not sure.. I loved this and didn't want it to end.


End file.
